Over the coming months, politically, our focus will be about Greater Manchester and how we govern ourselves more effectively and accountably in a world where greater powers and budgets are devolved to the city region.

Having spoken to our members and gauged their views, it is paramount that we produce a devolved system of government which is more effective and accountable to all the people living and working here.

There is also a massive job to be done to communicate what a more devolved city region looks like and how it will affect everyone.

We are already talking to a number of organisations to understand how this process will be managed and how the business view can influence decisions.

This process is not something which can be left to chance.

I am confident that we can produce a more efficient system, but it must be one where the voice of business is heard and our views are heeded.

While we are making sure our systems of government work better for the people of Greater Manchester, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that a key element of our future prosperity is not about our city region at all, but the trade we build and the partnerships we develop beyond its borders.

Growing trade internationally is vital for our future growth and prosperity, so a key part of our work is creating the right products and services to help business grow.

Over the past two years we have strengthened our support for businesses which export and have developed new services.

As we look forward, these issues remain crucial for our future growth.

This is not about setting ambitious targets – such as reaching a trillion pounds of UK exports by 2020.

It’s about understanding business needs and concerns and providing practical measures to help them.

One of the key elements which will define whether we grow exports in Greater Manchester is confidence – business leaders need to have the confidence to go into new markets and know it will help them grow.

Another key element is having the on-the-ground knowledge to ensure they make the most of investments.

The chamber processes more than 35,000 export documents for north west businesses, but beyond this service, invaluable though it is, we have been developing a range of complementary and wrap-around services to sit alongside.

Our 'letter of credit service’, for instance, allows businesses to ensure their documentation is correct before being presented to the bank for payment and gives businesses the confidence they are going to be paid.

For SMEs we have developed a new credit insurance product (with Bridge and Euler) called Chamber ExportSure.

It is tailored for new to export or experienced exporters and enables companies to check creditworthiness of new overseas clients, tap into local collection services and avoid debts.

We now also offer a translation service for businesses which is vital when dealing with a number of international markets.

The chamber can also signpost businesses to other services and advice, such as that available through Export Britain or the British Chambers of Commerce.

We are also developing a business travel offer which will help companies with international trips and provide a resource for international trade missions and visits into Greater Manchester.

On March 6 – along with our partners pro-manchester, we are hosting our second Great Manchester Business Conference at Emirates Old Trafford – supported by our media sponsors the Manchester Evening News.

One of the key elements in the programme is about putting the right building blocks in place to serve as effective foundations for export growth.

The conference is a great opportunity for local business to come together and debate the issues which are most important to us.

There will be contributions from Wayne Jones from MAN Diesel, Charlie Cornish from Manchester Airport Group, Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard of MMU, James Akrigg from Microsoft and Sir Howard Bernstein from Manchester City Council.

The national spotlight is on the city region as the front runners in English devolution.

Future prosperity however, has to be about, once again, creating a global presence for Greater Manchester.